TEASER

FADE IN:

1. INT. U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - HOLOSUITE - SANDRINE'S - NIGHT

CADET CAPTAIN JAREDAN AQUINO and CADET COMMANDER KARA LIONETTI are, as usual, playing pool in the familiar holosuite simulation of SANDRINE’S.

They circle around the table, feigning plenty of seriousness.  Kara is winning again, and sinks a shot, leaving just three balls on the table.  Jaredan groans.

JAREDAN
You're cheating.  I don't know how, but I know you are.

KARA
Ah, quit whining.

JAREDAN
Are you going to take your shot or what?

KARA
You're just jealous.

JAREDAN
I am not.  But we’re going to be late for duty if you don’t hurry up.  Most of Gamma’s probably already there.

KARA
(mock comforting)
It's okay.  Everybody needs to be taken down a peg or two every now and then.

JAREDAN
You just wait till I get you to try barokie.  Then we'll see who gets taken down a peg.

Before she can retort, Jaredan's combadge CHIRPS, and he responds.

T’RESS (VO)
(over comm)
Bridge to Captain Aquino.

JAREDAN
Aquino here, Commander.

T’RESS (VO)
(over comm)
Captain, we've come across something I believe you would want to see.

JAREDAN
All right.  I'll be there shortly.
(turns to Kara)
You coming?

KARA
(shrugs)
Sure.  I was getting bored, anyway.

JAREDAN
Very funny.

CUT TO:

2. INT. U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR  - BRIDGE - DAY

The ship is on a routine training cruise at the outer edge of the solar system.

Jaredan was right– the bridge crew is GAMMA TEAM.  Sitting in the CENTER SEAT is CADET LT. CDR. T’RESS (next in command line), the Science Officer.

Jaredan and Kara EXIT the TURBOLIFT, still chatting animatedly.  T’Ress stands.  Jaredan moves over, but hasn't sat down yet.

T’RESS
Captain on the bridge.

JAREDAN
So, Lieutenant Commander, what have we got?

Instead of answering, T’Ress simply turns towards the viewscreen.  Jaredan follows, and his jaw drops.

KARA
Is that what I think it is?

T’RESS
We believe so, sir.

INSERT: VIEWSCREEN

On the screen, out in the interstellar void, there seems to be a floating whirlpool of colors.

JAREDAN
A wormhole?  How far off?

At the OPS STATION, CADET LT. ELENA REYES taps away.

ELENA
Approximately one million kilometers, bearing 023 mark 19.

Jaredan and Kara are still hanging around.  T’Ress looks like she might almost be impatient.

JAREDAN
That close?  It's not very big, is it?

T’RESS
Long-range sensors estimate the wormhole's aperture to be roughly ten millimeters across, but growing slowly.

JAREDAN
All right, let's take her in for a closer look.  Thank you, Commander, I have the Conn.

Jaredan takes the CAPTAIN’S CHAIR, with Kara taking the XO’S SEAT beside him.  T’Ress takes her regular post at the SCI STATION (STBD AREA).

JAREDAN
(checking a display)
Logging change of shift, ship’s time 0900 hours, Stardate 51343.81.
(to Hikaru)
Helm, take us to within fifty thousand kilometers of the wormhole.
(turns to Kara)
Inform Starfleet Command.

On the viewscreen, the WORMHOLE flares.

3. EXT. SPACE - U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR AND WORMHOLE

The WORMHOLE EXPANDS, its whirling movements becoming faster, even violent.

4. INT. U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIDGE - DAY

Gamma Team has sprung into quick, but precise action.

ELENA
Captain!  I'm reading rapid expansion of the wormhole.  It's growing almost a meter per second!

KARA
Gravimetric forces are growing exponentially!  We're being pulled in!

JAREDAN
How far to the event horizon?

ELENA
Less than forty thousand kilometers, and closing rapidly!  We'll enter the wormhole in less than two minutes!

JAREDAN
Red alert!  Full reverse impulse!  Send out an emergency distress call!

Appropriate LIGHTS, KLAXONS, FRANTIC ACTION, etc.

CADET LT. HIKARU TAKANI mans the helm.

HIKARU
Full reverse, aye.
(beat)
Forward motion slowing, but not stopping.  Now no more than three minutes from the event horizon!

Jaredan and Kara HANG ON to their seats, and TAP at their respective panels.

JAREDAN
Can we pull out at warp?

KARA
Negative.  Gravimetric distortions will rip us apart if we engage the warp engines.

The ship begins to shake under the stresses.  Jaredan pounds his fist on the arm of his chair.

T’RESS
The wormhole's aperture is more than one hundred meters in diameter.  It'll be more than wide enough to swallow the ship when we intercept.

KARA
One minute to event horizon– we're accelerating!

JAREDAN
Launch a log buoy with a beacon to warn off incoming ships.

KARA
Log buoy launched.
(beat)
It's made it past the wormhole's pull.

The crew does their best starship acting, lurching about as the buffeting becomes even more violent.

HIKARU
Thirty seconds to event horizon.

KARA
Diverting power to structural integrity field and inertial dampers.

JAREDAN
Shields to maximum.

HELM
Ten seconds!

JAREDAN
All hands, brace for intercept!

5. EXT. SPACE  - NEAR WORMHOLE

The ENDEAVOUR seems to elongate, almost as if going to warp, then is yanked into the wormhole.  It disappears with a flash, and the wormhole shrinks to its previous dimensions.

FADE OUT.

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS